Gate-operating mechanism.



D. G. GORRELL.

GATE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APBLIOATION FILED JAN. 13, 1912.

1,051,218. I Patented Jan.21,1913.

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D. G. GORRELL.

GATE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED sums, 1912.

Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

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D. C. GORRELL.

GATE OPERATING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.13, 1912. 1,051,218. Patented Jan.21, 1913.

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D. G. GORRELL.

I GATE OPERATING MECHANISM. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1912. 1,051,218. Patented Jan. 21, 1913.

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DON C. GORRELL, OF PAYNE, OHIO.

GATE-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 21,1913.

Application filed January 13, 1912. Serial No. 671,036.

1/. 0 alt whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DON C. Gonnnnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Payne, in the county of Paulding and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gate-Operating Mechanisms, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to gate operating mechanism for railroads and has for its primary object the provision of means operated by the train to move the gates to their closed positions, and positively hold the same in such positions, said gates moving to their open positions by gravity after the passage of the train.

Another object of the invention is to provide an automatically operated mechanism for closing the street crossing gates, gravity controlled means actuated by the wheels of a train passing over the same to operate a locking mechanism and positively lock the gates in their closed positions, and manually operable means for releasing the gates for gravity movement to their open positions irrespective -of the position of the train.

A still further object of the invention resides in the provision of a. simple, durable and positively acting mechanism of the above described character which may be constructed and installed at comparatively small cost.

With the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation showing the normal positions of the gates, a part of the protective casing or housing for the operating mechanism being broken away and the gates shown in their closed positions in dotted lines; Fig. 2 is a top plan View; Fig. 3 is a detail section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4f is a detail elevation of one of the trip devices; Fig. 5 is a section taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a detail section showing the gate actuating gearing; Fig. 7 is a detail section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6; Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 88 of Fig. 4:; Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are detail perspective views of parts of the locking mechanism; Fig. 12 is a similar view of one of the trip members; Fig. 13 is an enlarged elevation of a portion of one of the gate arms; and Fig. l l is a detail perspective view of the gate arm.

Referring in detail to the drawings R designates the rails, which are mounted upon a crossing platform P supported upon the ties T.

Upon the platform the housings or casings 5 are arranged at opposite sides of the roadway or street and within the same parts of the operating mechanism for the gates to be later referred to are mounted, said casings providing the necessary protection for said mechanism so that its proper operation is assured.

lVithin each of the protective housings, a suitable frame 6 is arranged and in this frame the shaft 7 is rotatably mounted. One end of the shaft extends through the wall of the housing 5 and upon the same the gate 8 is secured in any preferred manner. A pinion 9 is fixed upon the shaft 7 and is engaged by the teeth of a gear 10 fixed upon a. shaft 11 journaled in the supporting frame 6. To one side of each of the gears 10 the oppositely disposed rods 12 are pivotally connected. The opposed ends of these rods are similarly mounted upon the face of a disk 13 as indicated at 1%, said disk being loosely mounted upon a stud 15 which is secured to the rail supporting platform P. It will be observed that the rods 19 are connected to the disk 13 at diametrically opposite points so that when said disk is rotated the rods are moved in opposite directions.

To each of the rods 12 adjacent its point of connection to the gear 10 a short rod 16 is pivotally connected at one of its ends as indicated at 17. The other end of this rod is telescopically engaged in the end of a tube 18 which has a flange 18' formed thereon. A collar 19 is fixed upon the rod 16 and between said collar and the flange on the tube a coiled spring 20 is arranged. This spring acts as a buffer and normally holds the tube yieldinglv against movement upon the end of the rod 16. In the following description but one of the train actuated devices for moving the gates to their closed positions is referred to, though it will be understood that the same arrangement of elements is mounted for operation by a train moving in either direction upon the track.

Upon the platform P a rock shaft 21 is mounted, said shaft extending transversely beneath the rails. Arms 24 are carried by said shaft and have their extremities loosely disposed in the openings 26 provided in the trip plates 25. These trip plates are longitudinally arranged alongside of the rails and their upper curved edges at one end of the plate normally project above the tread surface of the rail. The other ends of these trip plates carry the pins 27 which move in the longitudinal guide channels 28 formed upon opposite ends of a transversely disposed plate 29 which is disposed beneath the track rails. One end of the shaft 21 is provided with a curved crank arm 30 to the extremity of which the end of the tube 18 is pivotally connected as shown at 31. From this description it will be obvious that when the truck wheels of the engine strike the edges of the trip plates 25 which project above the rail heads, said plates will be depressed, thereby-rocking the shaft 21 and forcing the tube 18 inwardly upon the end of the rod 16 against the tension of the spring 20. This movement of the tube is transmitted through the connecting rod 16 to the rod 12 whereby said rod is moved longitudinally to rotate the gear 10 to which it is attached, and through the medium of the pinion 9 the shaft 7 is rotated to move the gate 8 to its closed position. The other of the rods 12 ismoved in an opposite direo tion through the medium of the disk 13 so that the opposed gates are simultaneously moved into closed position across the street or roadway, thereby indicating that a train is about to cross.

Automatically operated means is provided for positively locking the gates in their closed positions and to this end the inner face of the disk 13 has formed thereon a series of laterally projecting teeth 32. A suitable housing or casing P is secured to the platform P and depends therefrom, the shaft 15 of the disk 13 being journaled in this casing. A second shaft 33 is also rigidly mounted in the casing or housing and upon the same a slidable sleeve 34 is disposed, A head 35 is formed on one end of this sleeve and is provided with an annular groove 36. This groove receives the yoke arm37 of a bell crank lever 37 which is fixed upon a shaft 41 journaled as at 38 upon the wall of the housing P". The other arm of this lever is provided with a weight 39 which normally acts to move the sleeve 34 outwardly upon the shaft 33 and engage a detent 40 on the sleeve 34 in the teeth 32 on the face of the disk 13. The shaft 41 upon which the bell crank lever 37 is fixed is extended longitudinally through the wall of the housing P and is provided with a lever 42 whereby said shaft may be rotated to move the bell crank and shift the sleeve 34 to its ineffective position upon the shaft 33.

Upon the platform P a longitudinally disposed rod 43 is rotatably mounted in suitable bearings 44 and to this rod or shaft a bar 45 is rigidly connected by means of a plurality of arms 46. These arms extend upon opposite sides of the rod 43 and are provided on their outer ends with weights 47 which normally act to hold the bar 45 in position adjacent to the rail R and slightly above the tread surface thereof as shown in Fig. 3. To the rod 43 a depending rod 48 is secured, the lower end of which is bifurcated to accommodate the sleeve 34 and the shaft 15, said rod extending into the housing P. This rod bears against the head 36 on the sleeve 34 and normally holds the detent 40 of said sleeve out of contact with the teeth 32 on the disk 13, and maintains the weighted arm of the bell crank lever 37 in an elevated position. By means of this construction, it will be seen that when the truck wheels move off of the trip plates 25 and upon the bar 45 said bar is forced downwardly against the gravity action of the weighted arms 46 and the depending rod 48 is swung outwardly whereupon the sleeve 34 is moved on the shaft 33 through the medium of the bell crank lever 37 as the weight 39 swings downwardly. Thus the detent 40 is moved into engagement with the teeth 32 on the disk 13 and said disk is thereby locked against rotation and the gates are held in their closed positions during the movement of the train over the bar 45. It will be noted that the inner ends of the trip plates 25 are beveled as at 25. One of these plates is engaged by the beveled end 45 of the bar 45 as said bar is forced downwardly under the weight of the train. Thus the bar acts to retain the trip plates in their depressed positions.

In some instances, as when trains are being switched back and forth over a crossing, it may be desirable to allow the gates to move to their open positions at intervals so that pedestrians and vehicles may cross the track. This may be accomplished by simply moving the lever 42 to rot-ate the rod or shaft 41 in the proper direction and throw the weighted arm of the bell crank lever 37 upwardly, thereby moving the locking sleeve 34 inwardly upon the shaft 33 out of engagement with the disk 13. The gate arms 8 are weighted in any suit-able manner as indicated at 58 upon one side of the shaft 7 so that they will move by gravity to their open positions when the disk 12 is released in the manner above described. In this opening movement of the gate arms the springs 20 upon the rods 16 are compressed, and absorb all shock or jar as the arms move slowly to their vertical open positions. The gate arms are preferably provided with extensions 8 to project across the sidewalk when the gates are closed and prevent pedestrians from crossing the track.

Upon the upper ends of the gate arms 8 the resilient contact plates 58 are arranged. Electric light bulbs 59 are carried by the gate arms and are supplied with current from the storage batteries 60 through-the medium of the wires 61 which are arranged upon said arms and secured thereto in any preferred manner. When the gate arms move to their closed positions, and the plates 58 on the opposed ends thereof are brought into contact, the electric circuit is connected to the storage batteries to illuminate the electric bulbs 59. It will of course be understood that this night signal is not employed during the day time, the wires 61 being disconnected from the storage batteries.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction and manner of operation of my improved gate actuating mechanism will be fully understood.

The trip plates 25 may be arranged at any desired distance from the gate so that the gates are automatically closed at a desired time in advance of the passage of the train over the crossing. A housing designated at 62 may also be arrangedupon the platform P between the housings 5 to'cover and protect the rods 12 and the disk 13 to which. they are connected.

Owing to the comparatively few elements employed in the construction, it will be seen that the device is extremely durable, positive in its operation and may be produced at comparatively small cost.

While I have above described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be obvious that the same is susceptible of considerable variation in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the essential features or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is 1. In a mechanism of the character described, movable gate members, means for moving said gate members to their closed positions, an oscillatory element, co-nncc tions between said element and the gate members, and means automatically actuated by the wheels of a train cooperating with said element to hold the same against movement and positively lock the gates in their closed positions.

2. In a mechanism of the character de scribed, movable gate members, means for moving said gate members to their closed positions, an oscillatory element, connections between said element and the gate members, a slidable member to cooperate with said element, means adapted to be actuated by the wheels of a train to normally hold said slidable element out of engagement with the oscillatory element, and ad ditional means to move said slidable memher into engagement with the oscillatory element when said last referred to means is actuated by the train wheels to hold said element against movement and positively lock the gate members in their closed positions.

3. In a gate operating mechanism, opposed gate members, means for moving said gate members to their closed positions, said means including a movable element and rods connecting the same to the respective gate members, a gravity controlled locking member tocooperate with said movable element and positively lock the gates in their closed positions, and means cooperating wit-h said. member and normally holding the same out of engagement with said gate actuating member, said latter means being automatically actuated by the wheels of a train to permit of the movement of the look ing member to its efl'ective position.

4. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, common actuating mechanism to move the gate members to their closed positions including a movable member and connect-ions between the same and the gate members, locking means cooperating with said movable member to hold the same against movement and positively lock the gates in their closed positions, and train actuated means cooperat ing with the locking means and normally holding the same out of engagement with the actuating member and adapted to be actuated by a train to permit of the operation of said locking means.

In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, common actuating mechanism to move the gate members to their closed positions including an oscillatory disk and rods connecting the same to the gate members, a slidable member to cooperate with said disk and hold the same against movement to positively lock the gates in their closed positions, gravity means cooperating with said slidable member to normally hold the same in its effective locking position, and train actuated gravity controlled means co-acting with said locking member to move the same to its release position against the action of said gravity means and permit of the opening movement of the gate members.

6. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, connnon actuating mechanism to move the gate members to their closed positions including an oscillatory disk and connections between the same and the gate members, locking means cooperating with the disk to hold the same against movement and positively lock the gate members in their closed positions, a rock shaft, means on the rock shaft cooperating with said locking means to normally hold the same against operation, and additional means carried by the rock shaft to be engaged by the wheels of'a train to rock said shaft and permit of the operation of said locking means.

7. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, common actuating mechanism to move the gate members to their closed positions, including a primary element and connections between the same and the gate members, a slidable locking member normally engaging said primary element to hold the same against movement, a gravity controlled oscillatory arm cooperating with said locking member to normally hold the same in its ineffective posit-ion, train actuated means to oscillate said arm, and means for moving said looking member to its effective locking position upon the operation of the last named means.

8. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, common actuating mechanism to move the gate members to their closed positions including a primary element and connections between the same and the gate members, a locking member to cooperate with the primary element and hold the same against movementto positively lock the gate members in their closed positions, gravity controlled train actuated means cooperating with said locking member and normally holding the same in its ineffective position, means to move said locking member into engagement with said primary actuating element upon the actuation of said last named means, and means for manually actuating the operating means for said locking member to move the same out of locking engagement with said actuating element.

9. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, common actuating mechanism to move the gate members to their closed positions including a primary element and connections between the same and the gate members, a movable locking member, means normally acting to move said member into engagement with the primary actuating element and positively lock the gates intheir closed positions, a rock shaft provided with an arm cooperating with said locking member to hold the same out of engagement with the actuating element, and means actuated by the wheels of a train to rock said shaft and move the arm to permit said locking member to be moved to its effective locking position in engagement with the actuating element.

10. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members normally held in their vertical open positions by gravity, an operating mechanism for each of,

magma said members, an oscillatory disk, actuating rods for said operating mechanism pivotally mounted upon said disk at diametrically opposite points at one of their ends, a rock shaft having a crank on one end, means arranged along side of the rails of a track and connected to said rock shaft, said latter means extending above the tread surface of the rails: for engagement by the Wheels of a train, and means connecting the crank of said shaft to one of the actuating rods to simultaneously actuate the gate operating mechanisms and move the gate members to their closed positions.

11. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members normally disposed in their vertical open positions, an operating mechanism for each of said gate members to move the same to its horizontal closed position, a common actuating means for said operating mechanisms including an oscillatory element oppositely movable rods connected thereto and to the operating mechanisms, longitudinally and vertically movable trip plates arranged along side the rails of the track to be engaged and actuated by the Wheels of a train, a rock shaft connected to said trip plates and actuated there by, and means connecting one of said actuating rods to the rock shaft whereby said gate operating mechanisms are actuated to move the gate members to their closed posit-ions.

12. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members normally disposed in their vertical open positions, an operating mechanism for each of saidgate members to move the same to its horizontal closed position, a common actuating means for said operating mechanisms including an oscillatory element, oppositely movable rods connected thereto and to the operating mechanisms, longitudinally and vertically movable trip plates arranged along side the rails of the track to be engaged and actuated by the wheels of a train, a rock shaftconnected to said trip plates and actuated thereby, said rock shaft being provided with a crank on one end, a tube pivotally connected to said crank, a rod pivoted at one end to one of the actuating rods and telescopically engaged in said tube, a stop collar on said rod, and a shock absorbing spring interposed between the stop collar and the end of the tube.

13. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members normally held by gravity in their vertical open positions, an operating mechanism for each of said gate members, common actuating means for simultaneously actuating said operating mechanism to move the gate members to their closed positions, a rock shaft transversely disposed beneath the rails of atrack, said shaft having a crank on one end, connecting means between said crank and the actuating mechanism, t-rip plates longitudinally disposed along side of the rails and normally extending above the tread surfaces thereof, arms on the crank shaft loosely connected to one of the ends of said trip plates, and means supporting the other ends of said trip plates for longitudinal sliding movement when the plates are engaged and depressed by the wheels of a train.

14-. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members normally held by gravity in their vertical open positions and operating mechanism for each of the gate members, common actuating means for said operating mechanisms to simultaneously actuate the same and move the gate members to their closed positions, a rock shaft having a crank formed on one end, connecting means between said crank and the actuating means, trip plates arranged along side of the rails of a track and ex tending at one end above the tread surfaces thereo arms on said crank shaft loosely connected to one of the ends of the trip plates, and guides for the other ends of said trip plates, said trip plates being adapted for engagement by the wheels of a train to rock said shaft and actuate the gate operating mechanisms to move the gate members to their closed positions.

15. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members normally held by gravity in their vertical open positions, an operating mechanism for each of said gate members, means for effecting the unitary actuation of said operating mechanisms including an oscillatory disk and connecting rods between the same and the open ating mechanisms, a transverse rock shaft arranged across the track and provided with a crank on one end, means mounted upon said shaft to be engaged by the Wheels of a train to rock the shaft, a rod connected to the operating mechanism of one of the gate members, a tube connected at one of its ends to the crank of the rock shaft, said rod being disposed in said tube and provided with a piston for movement therein, and a yieldable abutment on said rod with which one end of the tube is adapted to engage.

16. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members and an operating mechanism for each of said members, a common actuating means for said opcrating mechanisms including an oscillatory disk, connections between the disk and said operating mechanisms, a gravity held member co-acting with said disk to hold the same against rotary movement, gravity con trolled means to normally hold said member in its ineffective position, additional means to be engaged and actuated by the Wheels of a train to overcome said gravity means, means to move said member to its effective locking position whereby the gate members are positively locked in their closed positions.

17. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members and common actuating means therefor to move the gate members to their closed positions, a locking element cooperating with said actuating means to lock the same against actuation when thegates are closed, and a gravity controlled element normally holding the locking element in its inefl'ective position and adapted to be actuated by a train to release said locking element for movement to its effective locking position.

18. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, common actuating mechanism to move the gate 1nemberS to their closed positions, said actuating mechanism including an oscillatory disk, a

gravity actuated element cooperating with said disk to lock the same against movement when the gates are closed, and train actuated gravity controlled means normally holding said element in its ineffective position and adapted to be actuated by a train to permit of the movement of said locking element to its effective locking position.

19. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members and an operating mechanism for each of said members, common actuating means for said operating mechanisms to simultaneously move the gate members to their closed positions, said actuating means including an oscillatory disk, locking means to engage said disk and hold the same against movement, means automatically actuated by the wheels of a train to permit the operation of said locking means, and additional manually operable means co-acting with the locking means whereby the disk may be released irrespective of the position of the train and the gates moved to their open positions.

20. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, train actu ating means to move said members to their closed positions. said actuating means in.- cluding an oscillatory disk provided with a series of teeth upon one face, a slidable member co-acting with said teeth to hold the disk against movement, gravity controlled means normally holding said member in its locking position, a rock shaft, means carried by said shaft cooperating with said locking member to normally hold the same in its released position, and means connected to said shaft to be actuated by a train to rotate the shaft and permit said gravity means to move the locking element to its effective locking position.

21. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, common actuating mechanism to move the gate mem bers to their closed positions, said actuating mechanism including an oscillatory disk having teeth formed upon one face, a slidable locking member to co-act with said teeth and hold the disk against movement, a

ravity controlled bell crank lever cooperating with said member and normally acting to move the same to'its locking position, a longitudinally disposed bar arranged adjacent to one of the rails of a track, gravity controlled means connected to said bar to normally dispose the same above the tread surface of the rail for engagement by the wheels of a train, and means connected to said gravity means and cooperating with said locking member to normally maintain the same in its release position,the engagement of the bar by the wheels of a train overcoming said gravity means to permit the locking element to move to its effective locking position.

22. In a gate operating mechanism for railroads, opposed gate members, common actuating means to simultaneously move the gate members to their closed positions, said actuating means including a rotatable disk having a series of teeth formed upon one face, a shaft, a sleeve slidable on said shaft, and provided with a detent to engage the teeth of said disk whereby the same is locked against rotation, a weighted bell crank lever cooperating with said sleeve and normally holding the same in its locking position, a rock shaft, arms projecting from opposite sides of said shaft, a bar on one end of said arms, weights on the other ends of the arms to normally dispose the bar above the tread surface of the track rail, a rod depending from said shaft and co-acting with the sleeve to hold the same in its release position against the action of said gravity controlled lever, the engagement of the Wheels of a train with said bar moving said rod to permit of the sliding movement of the sleeve to its effective locking position, and manually operable means for actuating said bell crank lever to move the sleeveto its release position In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DON C. GORRELL. lVitnesses:

CHAS. G.. PURvIs, Don C. Comm'rr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents? each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I); C. 

